In the above-referenced related prior patents, optical spectrophotometric procedures and apparatus are disclosed and described for in vivo clinical application to human patients, as well as a potential broader range of subjects, by which important biomedical information may be obtained which is directly indicative of intrinsic, internal biological and physiological processes, conditions, tissue or substance composition or state, etc., and these prior patents generally contemplate use of certain "optical probes", i.e., optical component mounting and carrying apparatus, by which the selected light wavelengths are emitted and administered to the patient and resulting light is detected and monitored at various positions and points on the patient.
While a principle focus of these prior patents is the use of such spectrophotometric techniques on human anatomy in a manner by which the relative spacing of the light-emitting and light-detecting elements was variable, the underlying significance of such spacing was the important consideration in this regard, and thus the disclosures in these patents also contemplate comparable or analogous sender-receiver configurations of fixed geometry. These concepts and considerations are the further subject of copending patent application Ser. No. 329,945 (filed Mar. 29, 1989), which in some respects is more particularly directed to the use of such optical spectrophotometric procedures on the human head, for and in conjunction with examination of certain parameters and attributes of brain condition and function. Accordingly, this last-mentioned copending application discloses and describes additional and other such "optical probe" or optical sensor patient interface configurations and devices which are particularly intended for (but not necessarily limited to) use on the human skull, for monitoring internal brain tissue and function through representative parameters.
The applicability and value of using such optical spectrophotometric procedures on an in vivo basis with human patients continues to gain credence and recognition, as well as wider understanding, with increasing development and progress. One development evidencing such further progress is disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 07/711,147, filed Jun. 6, 1991, entitled: "Optical Cerebral Oximeter", in which apparatus and methodology is disclosed for implementing an optical spectrophotometric device for use in monitoring oxidative metabolism in the human brain and providing a readout directly in terms of percent hemoglobin oxygen saturation. The present invention is directed to a preferred form of patient headpiece for use in such device, as well as for potential use in other analogous such devices, providing a further advanced and improved "optical probe" or patient-machine interface, by which optical-response data is obtained from the patient and supplied to a spectrophotometric device.
Prior participants in the art have addressed similar underlying considerations, and reference is particularly made to the work of Frans F. Jobsis et al, as represented in and by prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,223,680; 4,281,645; 4,321,930; 4,380,240; 4,510,938; and 4,805,623. While certain of the underlying concepts and/or scientific assumptions or theories set forth in these patents differ from those addressed by the present inventor, as reflected by the related and referenced prior and copending patents and applications identified above, these prior patents attributed to Jobsis et al contain considerable information, etc. of interest to the general subject matter hereof, and certain such patents (in particular, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,321,930, 4,380,240 and 4,510,938) expressly disclose patient headpieces for use in generally similar in vivo optical spectrophotometric procedures. Accordingly, these and other such prior teachings provide background information of definite interest, and to some extent this may be said in connection with various embodiments of arterial pulse oximeters patented previously and in common use; for example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,013,067, which shows a flexible strap-like device for carrying optical senders and receivers, adapted for encircling the finger of the patient and thus accessing arterial blood vessels therewithin.